A man believed to be the brains behind the killing of Piet Moletsane, an aspiring ward councillor for Virginia in Matjhabeng Local Municipality in September last year, has been arrested.
The suspect, a former ward councillor, is expected to appear in the Virginia Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
Police tracked him down over the weekend after the alleged hitmen, who were arrested earlier this year, spilled the beans on who sent them to gun down Moletsane following intensive interrogation by the organised crime unit.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said Moletsane was shot and killed on September 23, 2021 while leaving a tavern where he was working in Meloding, Virginia.
He said Moletsane was active in politics at the time of his death and was set to contest in the local government elections in November last year.
“The provincial organised crime unit was tasked to investigate the murder and on (January 28, 2022) the unit successfully traced and arrested two suspects aged 31 and 34 for the murder of the deceased,” said Makhele in in a statement.
“Further investigations revealed that the two accused were allegedly hired as hitmen.
“After an intensive investigation, the 44-year-old former ward councillor at the time of this murder was also traced and arrested for the murder.”
Makhele said the man has been linked as the alleged mastermind in the murder.
He will make his first court appearance on Wednesday before being joined by the other two accused who remain in custody. – Staff Reporter